L/Cpl 49532 John Parker

• Age: 22
• From: Kirkdale, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

John Parker was born on the 15^th March 1895 the son of John Parker and his wife Teresa (nee Brack) who were married on the 04^th February 1894 at St John's Church, Liverpool. At the time of their marriage, John was of 1a Woodbine Street, Teresa was of 6 Pansey Street, father Andrew. John junior was baptised on the 20^th March 1895 also at St John's.

He enlisted in Liverpool and originally served as 7939 in the Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry before he transferred to The King's Liverpool Regiment.

He was serving in the 20th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Lance-Corporal No 49532 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917, aged 22, during the Third Battle of Ypres. 

20^th Battalion

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17^th Battalion on the left, and the 20^th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21^st and 90^th Brigades were still pinned down  and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

At this point a message was sent to Brigade HQ advising that Companies were digging in on and consolidating a line running south from Stirling Castle.

John's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 28th August 1917:

PARKER. – July 31, killed in action, age 22 years, John, K.L.R. (formerly Lancs Hussars), the dear eldest son of Teresa and the late John Parker, of 1a, Woodbine-Street, and grandson of the late Andrew Brack, ironfounder, of this city. R.I.P.
(Boston and New York papers please copy.)

Soldier Effects and Pension to mother Teresa.

We currently have no further information on John Parker, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.